‘SKINNING’ BRITAIN

Southland Times, Issue 20773, 14 May 1929, Page 5

‘SKINNING’ BRITAIN

OUTSPOKEN ARTICLE UNITED STATES AND REPARATIONS “BILKED” OF £200,000,000 (United Press Assn.—Dy Telegrsph—Copyright.) London, May 12. Mr A. G. Gardiner, the well-known Liberal publicist, in an outspoken article in the Sunday Express headed “Why should Britain be skinned?” says: "We have paid the United States £233,000,000 and received from our creditors in Europe £37,000,000. In Mr Snowden’s phrase we have been bilked of nearly £200,000,000. Mr Owen Young is now proposing a further turn to the screw. Even at the risk of offending America the time has come to say we will not stand any more. Europe will be in pawn to the United States for two generations; Germany will be ruined by the terrific lew. Europe will not gain, for out of a total of German payments of £1,800,000,000, £1,300,000,000 will go to America to pay the Allied debt, while the eternal wrangle over the odd £500,000,000 will keep Europe in discord. It is a fantastic nightmare such as no sane American can imagine? Most Americans are frankly ashamed of their country’s action, which is continued through fear of party recriminations, but Europe cannot be tortured for half a century for such considerations.”

Mr Philip Snowden, writing in Reynold’s newspaper saws: “Mr Young’s reparations proposal in effect repudiates the note which proposed that our reparations receipts should equal payments to America.” He adds: “I have not had long to wait to justify my own recent outspokenness in the House of Commons. The whole of the British Press is now supporting my protest.’ —Australian Press Association.